


Leave the Light On

by godamnarmsrace



Series: My Tumblr Ask Love Reply Fics [7]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron's in prison, Angst, Drunk Robert Sugden, Drunk Robron, Emmerdale - Freeform, Fatherly behavior, Gen, M/M, Paddy takes care of Robert, Paddy watches Robert, Prison storyline era, Robert gets drunk, Robert is alone, Vic tries, only mentions Aaron, robert misses aaron, robron - Freeform, sad Robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 17:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10769130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godamnarmsrace/pseuds/godamnarmsrace
Summary: Paddy watches Robert spiral without Aaron around to ground him.





	Leave the Light On

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the wonderful [@bluewinseverytime](https://bluewinseverytime.tumblr.com/) and edited by her too [@blueswinseverytime](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewinseverytime/pseuds/Bluewinseverytime) thanks Matty darling. And yes, I see what I did there I made you edit your own fic LOL.

 

Paddy had been watching Robert Sugden for over an hour. He watched as Robert drank pint, after pint, after pint. He’d looked on as Victoria had tried to get Robert to eat something. He had seen Aaron’s husband just sink deeper and deeper inside his own head.

Paddy hated Robert Sugden. He did. But Aaron loved him and Paddy loved Aaron, so he kept watching.

Paddy had been watching for weeks, not really sure what else to do but keep an eye out. He knew someone needed to talk to Robert, but it wasn’t his place, he didn’t want to be the one to help. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Aaron would want and Paddy knew that he’d be pissed if everyone just ignored the fact that Robert was drowning.

Everyone had been missing Aaron since he’d been sent down, but Paddy was starting to realise that this was the case for no one more than Robert. He might not be what Paddy wanted for Aaron, but even he could no longer deny that Robert loved Aaron. His world didn’t seem to work without him.

Paddy watched as Robert got to his feet and stumbled, falling into the table in front of him, he let out a laugh completely devoid of humour.

It wasn’t a choice, so much as he just couldn’t watch anymore. Paddy got up from his own table his dinner long since devoured, he stepped up to Robert and gently took him by the elbow, waiting for Robert to kick off.

He didn’t. Robert just nodded once, resigned and let Paddy lead him into the back of The Woolpack, up the stairs to his and Aaron’s room. Paddy pulled back the duvet and pushed Robert down onto the bed. He pulled off Robert’s shoes and nudged at him until Robert was lying down.

Paddy watched as Robert curled up on his side, making himself as small as physically possible before pulling the covers up over himself. Something twinged in Paddy’s chest, ignoring it he stepped into the bathroom and hunted through the cupboards until he found some aspirin and he filled a glass with water.

Letting out a small sigh, not really believing he was here doing this, Paddy went back into the bedroom and put the pills and the glass on the bedside table. “You should take those,” he said before moving over to the door. He put his hand on the light switch to turn it off, but something stopped him.

Robert looked like a little boy and it felt wrong to leave him alone in the dark. “Do you want me to leave the light on?” he asked. He didn’t want to feel sorry for this man. He didn’t want to feel anything for him.

“Yes, please,” Robert answered, his voice filled with sadness and sleep.

“Goodnight Robert,” Paddy heard himself say, without even thinking.

He’d almost closed the door completely behind him when he heard Robert speak softly, “Thanks, Dad.”

Well, shit. Paddy closed the door. He swallowed, throat tight, he didn’t know what to do, with this version of Robert. Broken. He couldn’t help but see shades of a younger Aaron, from when he and Paddy had first met. He didn’t want to, but he knew he’d keep watching Robert.

Someone had to.


End file.
